Shopping for a new born

When buying clothes for newborn you might land up getting confused with a huge variety in the market. It is often difficult to make choices and judge what you really want. Run through the checklist for the essentials…

New parents or soon to be parents are often tempted to buy cute and adorable baby clothes. But behold parents before you get into buying expensive clothes through your credit cards, think wisely whether it is really necessary. Babies grow rapidly and outgrow their clothes at a fast pace. One does feel disheartened if the exorbitantly expensive clothes outgrow within no time. Also, in the first month babies are usually covered and what they are wearing rarely shows. Thus, hand me down clothes are the best bet for the initial month – as they have been washed numerous times and are skin friendly. I had borrowed my sister’s baby’s clothes for my baby. However, if you are using new clothes wash them 2-3 times so that they are clean and soft and rashes can be avoided.

Going by the label, I feel is really useless. While some newborn might fit into 0-3 months on the other hand some might start from a bigger size right from birth. Also, some babies are tiny and others quite big for their age. Recently, my friend was blessed with a baby girl. Both her parents are tall and so is the little girl. Her parents had bought some unisex clothes for the new born, especially rompers. You won’t believe my friend had to cut the expensive rompers and used them as T-shirts instead.

Babies have a very sensitive skin. I remember my daughter getting rashes, and when the cause was found it was due to some terrycloth fibers in her frock. Since then I have been very cautious to buy all cotton or 100 percent organic wear. Clothes with lots of buttons, zippers, seams and embellishment should be avoided. Also, keep in mind that baby’s clothes have to be changed many times during the day, these might hurt the baby. If the baby needs to be dressed up in a jiffy or a diaper needs to be changed at night then these might prove to be hindrances. Jeans with a button fly and dungarees should be avoided. Instead opt for pants with elastic waists. Avoid picking up clothes that have to be put through the head. Babies do not like it and get a claustrophobic feeling. Babies should be dressed in layers at night as blankets tend to create a risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Few clothes if you want to buy for your baby could be:

Onesies

Singlets

Leggings and pants

Front open shirts

T-shirts with snaps at the neck

Fleece lined body suit in case of a winter baby

Sweater

Booties and socks

Mittens, both cotton and warm

No need for shoes, as babies really do not need them for at least six months

Caps – cotton ones for a summer baby and warm ones for winter baby

Wraps mostly muslin cloth for summer and thin blankets for winter

Nappies – lots of them if you do not plan to use diapers (to be precise a dozen)

Dressing a newborn can be quite challenging and can leave both the mum and baby upset. A few tips for you to cool down during dressing and undressing can save the day from stress:

Baby should be placed on a smooth flat surface or changing board in a warm room

Neck of the T-shirt, singlet should be stretched and baby’s head should be put through. Take care not to touch the baby’s face, as she might get upset

Then the hands and feet should be slipped through the sleeves

BINGO!! you just dressed up your baby without upsetting her. So go ahead have fun with your little one.

Infant and toddler clothes are easily available online on Hopscotch, Babyoye, Firstcry, Carters, Baby Couture and many more portals. Also, the shops in the malls like Mothercare and other baby care shops keep good clothes. And definitely feel free to play with colours as baby clothes come in vivacious colours.

PS: Do ensure before dressing the baby, the clothes should be well dried and ironed to remove the dampness.

Proud to be an IndiBlogger

Well, about me I can say that I am a certified dentist, healthcare analyst, medical writer and above all a mother of a 6-year-old. Most of my day to day activities revolve around her and she is my inspiration to start this blog. As a mother, I experimented with a lot of new things for my little one in a quest to find the best for her. I just want to share my experiences of being a happy and content mum.

8 Comments

Shubhra, Well done. I am very happy and proud of you. You are sharing your experience and your knowledge for those mothers who have a baby.Really it will give them a right direction and confidence.Thanks a lot bete. God bless you.